


The Southern Plate

by Anatemnein



Category: Designing Women
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-26 20:59:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20748656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anatemnein/pseuds/Anatemnein
Summary: When Anthony and Julia share dinner at a local diner, their relationship takes an unexpected turn.





	1. Chapter 1

~~~~

  
Anthony was overwhelmed. Stacks and stacks of invoices, mounds of fabric, more catalogs than any business should have reasonably owned forcing wide the sides of cardboard boxes--and a clock that read 8:30 pm. Eight-thirty. Hands on the clock just sitting, staring, taunting him. Eight-thirty. Usually he'd be toweling off right now, stepping out of the shower and headed to bed to laugh uproariously at repeats of The Carol Burnett Show. (A guilty pleasure. He'd told no one).

But instead he was wading through the clutter of Sugarbaker's backroom, feeling the grit of months--or years--of dust along the fingertips of his hands. He wiped his palm along his pant leg when he heard a small 'achoo!' from somewhere behind him. He wheeled around, having forgotten in his bad mood that someone else was here suffering alongside him.

Julia Sugarbaker shook her head, her dark curls tumbling over her shoulder. "Excuse me" she said sheepishly, her big eyes fluttering up at him rather shyly then back to the stack of papers in front of her. "May God bless you" he said wryly, trying not to look her over too intently. The sound he heard now came from somewhere inside his head, the drum of voices that echoed the years of teasing he'd received about his relationship with Suzanne. He prickled a little, trying to get back to what he was doing, but the thoughts pervaded, insistent on being a constant presence as he sat a few feet from her older sister.

He'd never had the heart to admit he didn't like Suzanne that way. At the interest of sparing her feelings--not that she was interested in him either, but regardless--he'd played along, and did enjoy their camaraderie sincerely. But...not in that way. So when Mary-Jo began referring to him as Suzanne's Only Girlfriend, he was more than happy to accept that asexual, non-romantic title. Where Julia was concerned, things were a little more complicated, but he shrugged that off now and sifted through the box in front of him.

"I tell you what, Anthony, cleaning in the dead of winter was a good idea only to get the blood circulating. I don't know that we've gotten a whole lot accomplished" Julia said, looking wearily up at him. She was tired, he was glad to see that, because he was set to fall asleep any moment now.

"I think you're right, Julia. I mean, we've been back here for three hours and I can't think of anything we've done, besides unearth more junk and work."

She looked away for a moment, then set down the fabric samples in her hands and brushed them clean. "Are you hungry?" she asked, looking at him inquisitively and setting her glasses on top of her head. Her hair slid back in obedience, baring for him the faultless cheekbones and almost unearthly white skin of her face. He felt his heart skip, and turned away abruptly, licking his lips nervously.

"Sure, I mean, yeah, I could go for something" he said, trying to sound casual. All he thought of was Jerry Lee Lewis as he bit his lip, determined not to make an idiot of himself as he usually did when nervousness overtook him.

"Why don't we grab a bite to eat from that diner around the corner? They're open until 10, we could squeeze in and not cause too much trouble" Julia said, smiling at him, wondering why he sometimes turned away from her. She probably intimidated him. She scared everyone, she guessed, or had heard in passing from friends, usually half-teasingly. Most of the time she enjoyed that (more than she'd ever admit) but where Anthony was concerned it bothered her. Five years with Sugarbaker's and she was still scary? She bit her lip in disappointment as he turned around to face her.

"Yeah, that sounds great, my treat" he said, getting to his feet and smiling a little at her, offering her a hand.

She tried to suppress the surprise that bubbled up inside her, and she sheepishly looked away as she accepted it and climbed to her feet, dusting off her clothes as best she could as they both stumbled out of the backroom.

"Nonsense, I suggested it, therefore I buy" she said, turning her head back to him as she made her way toward her desk to grab her purse.

"Nonsense to you too, Julia, because I accepted the suggestion in good will, and so you must return the favor. Do unto others" he said, smirking at her. He had to give himself that, he did know how to conquer her strong will with a well-placed joke.

She giggled, and shook her head, setting the glasses on her desk, her hair coming loose around her face, a curl popping out against one eye. "Fine, Mr. Bouvier" she teased, smirking at him and looking up at him through her lashes before turning toward the door. She'd be damned if Anthony remained scared of her; she had every intention of being considered a friend. "Or more...?" her mind asked her suddenly, startling her. She suppressed the thought as quickly as it came. He was handsome and educated, but that was all. That's it.

He opened the door to her home for her, helping her slide into her coat before he slid into his, walking beside her into the dark, cold Georgia night.


	2. Chapter 2

Julia was right. The diner was buzzing still, not brimming, but a few tables had customers bent happily over the laminated plastic tablecloths that covered the wooden tables. The place itself was simple, down-home, not the sort of place he would've ever thought Julia would frequent. He'd learned differently, however, during his interview--an unusual time to learn something of that nature--that The Southern Plate was a somewhat guilty pleasure of hers. He'd mentioned it jokingly to ease the tension of the interview, and was surprised when she smiled brightly at him and agreed that yes, in spite of its simplicity, the food was delicious. He remembered looking at her silk blouse, skirt, and heels, and wondering when exactly a woman such as herself would ever darken the door to a small, simple place like that.

Well, apparently today was one of those days. He opened the door for her and she stepped inside. No, rather, she entered the room. If there was one thing Julia did without realizing it, making an entrance was one of those things. She tossed her head, swung her dark hair over her shoulder and off of her face, and wiggled her hips just slightly as she scanned the room for a table. He scanned the room of diners and counted at least eight slack jaws as the other men stared helplessly at her, knees that were bent buckling still beneath tables. He bristled unexpectedly, and put a hand around her waist without really realizing what he was doing.

She looked at him, pleasantly surprised by the feeling of his hand around her waist, as she picked a booth in the corner and pointed him to it. Since she and Reese had had their final blowout a few months back, no hand had gripped her waist since. Until now. She blushed to herself as they made their way toward the round, U-shaped booth, and slid in beside one another.

"Hmm, so nice and warm in here" Julia hummed happily, sliding her coat off and letting it rest on the empty space beside her. Her blouse slid open just a bit, exposing more of the skin on her chest, and Anthony bit his lip just a bit as his eyes wandered--only briefly--off of her face.

"--favorite?"

Anthony shook his head and stiffened a bit, locking eyes with Julia and hoping she didn't notice his staring. "Huh?" he asked meekly, feeling just as stupid as ever.

"I said what's your favorite, Anthony?" she asked, her lids dropping just a touch. It was an instant, biological reaction to the way his eyes peeked at her. The sensible part of her brain turned on, reminding her that she was his boss, and she took in a deep breath and nodded toward the menu, trying to shake off her own nerves.

"Oh, uh, I guess, gee, I don't really recall, Pimento, Pimento Cheeseburger & Bacon, now that's a good one." The words didn't so much stumble out of his mouth as they tripped, ran into, and fell on top of one another.

Julia giggled somewhat bashfully, head tilting a little to the left as she eyed the menu. "Mine too" she said quietly.

Anthony smiled and nodded at her. "Well heyyy, that's alright" he said, laughing.

Before he knew what was happening, there was food in front of them on the table and they were carrying on, sharing bits of food and talking easily with one another.

"Not my type of girl" he was saying, sharing his opinion on a movie he'd seen recently, intended to appeal to his demographic. He didn't know what Hollywood assumed they knew about that, but whatever it was, they got it wrong, and the female lead was no woman that could've roused Anthony's interest.

Julia shook her head, laughing and taking a sip of her drink. "What is your type of girl, Anthony? Must be picky, you don't date much" she teased, taking a french fry off of her plate and nibbling on it.

"Well, now, I don't know that that's true" he tried to counter, his confidence having risen a bit in the last hour. He felt another spike as he locked eyes with her, that little voice in the back of his head toying with him--"Why's she asking, Anthony?"--but he ignored it as best he could. "I just know what I like and what I don't like, and that girl I didn't like."

Julia cocked a brow and rested her hands in her lap. "I asked what you do like" she said, a slight sauciness creeping into her voice.

He looked her over for a brief moment, trying to put together an answer that didn't include the word 'you' in it. "Well, I guess you could say I like a confident woman. I don't like cockiness now, don't get me wrong, but I like confidence." He settled further into the booth, looking down at his watch and crossing his hands in front of him on the table as he smirked just a bit. "And I like dark eyes. And loooongggg lashes" he said, peeking at her momentarily and laughing.

Julia threw her head back just a tad as she laughed, wiggling coquettishly, not really knowing if he was flirting or not but not really caring at this point either. She maintained just enough decorum to make it hard for him to decipher whether or not she was as well.

From across the room, Charlene and Bill stared intently, as they had been for the last thirty or so minutes, however long ago it was that they noticed that Anthony and Julia were here as well. They'd come in after and settled in, only to notice them in the booth at the other end of the room. Charlene had been scooting to the edge of their booth to get up and say hello when Bill said somewhat quizzically, "They look awfully comfortable over there."

That had stopped Charlene in her tracks, and as she had stared at them she had to concede--not aloud, however--that he was right. Well, that was some thirty minutes ago, and some thirty minutes or so later, that fact was hard to argue. She and Bill had essentially eaten their entire meal in silence, stealing frequent glances at Anthony and Julia and barely speaking to one another, exchanging only ever-startled looking glances as they realized that what had been an off the cuff remark from Bill earlier might be now more of a right on the money remark. They did look a little too cozy.

Charlene watched in shock as Anthony teasingly nudged Julia, and her eyes widened further when Julia's head dropped and she giggled for what seemed like the hundredth time that night.

"My type of man, Anthony?" Julia asked him, smirking. "I guess because you satisfied my curiosity I have to satisfy yours?"

He felt a sudden snap of professionalism come over him and remembered she was his boss, and straightened in his seat. "Oh no, Julia, I mean, I was just teasing--"

"I like confident men. Educated, hard-working, and confident...with a sense of humor to tie it all together" she answered, cutting him off, and looking shyly at the tablecloth.

"Well, that can't be that hard to find" he said easily, easing back into his seat at her answer.

"Says the perennial bachelor!" Julia countered stubbornly.

Anthony laughed, resting an elbow against the back of the booth. "I guess you got me there. I am single more than I am entangled."

Julia looked at him somewhat wistfully. "So what's holding you back?"

He stared at the table for a moment, then at her, and the look in his eyes disarmed her for a moment, as the look in hers disarmed him. They stared at one another for a long few seconds before Anthony said, "Who knows?" They reclined slowly, looking away from one another, and were drawn from their reverie by a waiter who placed their check on the table. They paid quickly and left, not saying too much more to one another as the comfort wore off and the reserve drew back in, protecting both of them from what might've--or might not have--been some silent admission to one another.

Charlene turned slowly back to Bill, who eyed his wife with a look of confusion and surprise. He laid his burger on the table and looked carefully at Charlene. "Hun, have you thought that there might be feelings between those two?"

Charlene jumped back slightly, surprised at the suggestion. "Oh, Bill, don't be silly. They're just good friends, we all are. Why, Anthony's worked for us for years, Julia's been there for him as a friend same as we all have!"

Bill eyed her carefully before looking down at the table, and then back at her. "I know, honey, but have you ever thought that maybe somewhere down the line they started seeing each other as something...more than friends?" he asked cautiously, trying not to offend his wife. He knew she knew Julia and Anthony much better than he did, and he knew he ran the risk of sounding impertinent as he made gentle assumptions about their emotions.

Charlene huffed stubbornly, knowing Bill might be on to something but unwilling to admit it at the sake of outing her friends before knowing the truth. "No, no I haven't, Bill Stillfield, and I don't think it's our place to be assuming their dinner was more than friendly."

Bill looked carefully at Charlene as she avoided his gaze and picked nervously at her napkin. Somewhere, deep down, he knew he was right. Somewhere, deep down, she knew he was too, but she was too scared to admit it.


	3. Chapter 3

Charlene flicked her pen nervously in her hand for the hundredth time that morning, and Mary Jo thought that she might chew Charlene's head off if she heard it again, as she dropped her paperwork onto her desk.

"Something the matter, Charlene?" she asked wearily.

Charlene's eyes popped up in surprise. "Oh no, no Mary Jo, why do you ask that?" she asked, wide-eyed and shrill-toned.

Mary Jo knew her best friend well enough to know she was hiding something--if Charlene was anything, a terrible liar was just that--so she got up from her desk and plopped onto the sofa, eyeing her sternly. She knew the move to the sofa was a silent conversation starter, like hanging an arm over a water-cooler. Had Julia not forbade it, they might've had one of those too. "I ask because you've clicking that pen in my ear all morning and I'm just about ready to chew your head off."

Charlene pressed her lips together and slid over to where Mary Jo was seated. "Mary Jo, listen, you've got to promise not to say a word about what I'm about to tell--ask--well, no, tell...listen, I don't know, but whatever you do don't say anything to Julia and Anthony, and definitely not to Suzanne."

"What's this about?" Mary Jo asked, narrowing her eyes and looking at Charlene quizzically. She knew what she was about to hear would either be incredible, or idiotic, and she wasn't sure yet which path Charlene was on.

Charlene looked down at her hands, running a finger over the nails of her right hand. "Last night, Bill and I saw Anthony and Julia eating out at the diner around the corner. Together."

Mary Jo stared blankly at her, and laughed. "Well so what, Charlene, we've all been there a hundred times, what difference does it make?" She was about to say something witty when the look on her friends face stopped her. "What difference does it make, Charlene?" she asked, lowering both her head and her voice.

Charlene bounced her knees nervously, breaking eye contact with Mary Jo and then returning her stare. "I think Julia and Anthony have feelings for each other."

Mary Jo's eyes widened in shock, but before she could say anything, Bill strode in through the front door. "Hey, honey, I just came to bring you your--" he stopped dead when he saw the look on both his wife's and Mary Jo's faces. He shook his head and tried to back out of the still open door. "Oh no, Charlene, I thought you said--"

"Bill, Bill, Bill!" Charlene hissed, rushing toward the door, and jerking him inside. "We're the only ones here."

"I don't care--"

"Bill, you saw them too?" Mary Jo asked, standing now.

"No, well yes, but no, listen--" he said waving his hands in front of him.

Mary Jo shook her hands incredulously at them. "This is ridiculous, I mean, we've just about lost our minds" Mary Jo said stiffly, fluffing a pillow and stalking toward her desk again. "Why I even entertain your crazy ideas sometimes, Charlene, I still don't know."

Charlene was about to reply when the door swung open behind her, and Julia and Anthony stepped inside.

They all stopped short and stared blankly at one another for a few seconds before Julia broke the silence. "Well, I'm glad to see today is starting like any other day" she said edgily. She didn't know exactly why she and Anthony were being observed like lab specimen, but she wasn't sure she would like the answer if she got it.

Charlene swung her eyes nervously from Julia to Anthony and back again before speaking. "Julia! Oh no, we were just talking, that's all."

"Yeah, we just didn't expect to see you two togeth--uh, here, yet" Bill stammered alongside Charlene.

Mary Jo bit her lip and took a careful look at Julia and Anthony's faces. She noticed something in them that made her uneasy, and she decided to sit down slowly and not say another word.

Julia drew in an impatient sigh. "Welllll, here we are. I hope that concludes our staring contests for today" she said, stalking over to her desk briskly.

Anthony merely bit his lip and moved swiftly past everyone to the backroom, promptly closing the door.

"Were, were, you all at the bank?" Charlene asked, trying to sound casual.

Julia didn't lift her head as she replied, "Ms. Fricky's house, checking the curtain rods for the drapery installation tomorrow."

"Oh, oh, how'd it go? Good, good I hope?" Charlene asked in what Mary Jo was certain was her botched version of calm and collectedness.

Julia forced a smile as she looked at both Charlene and Bill. "Fine!" she said in a voice whose friendliness was nothing but phony politeness, if that. Perhaps just phoniness. Usually Julia would be asking them what was going on, but she couldn't for the life of her find the gumption to be unpleasant with them. Why? She hadn't done anything wrong. She and Anthony had been to Ms. Fricky's house, and the whole affair had been a little awkward after the events of last night. Still, she felt like a child that was due for a scolding, and she hated that.

Mary Jo was completely silent at her end of the room. If motherhood had given her anything, it had been a razor sharp instinct, and right now hers was telling her that Charlene and Bill might be right. She shifted uneasily. She had wanted them to be wrong so badly. She didn't know why, really, but deep down she had the nagging feeling--no, knowledge--that a relationship between Anthony and Julia would be anything but easy for the both of them. Two different people with different life experiences and different beliefs suddenly--for what seemed like no real reason--falling for one another was not only stupid theoretically, it was stupid literally. She anticipated what she knew would be a massive blow-up between the two that would end up in one of them leaving Sugarbaker's (or rather, Anthony leaving). She knew where romance was concerned neither Anthony nor Julia had a simple, easy past, and she dreaded seeing what might become of her two friends.

Charlene had said a swift goodbye to Bill, who had practically thrown himself out of the front door. She was now sitting stiffly at her desk, trying desperately to focus on her work, when Suzanne strode in through the front door. Charlene needed only to glimpse the cheshire cat grin on her face to know that, somehow or other, Suzanne was already wise to what she and Mary Jo were still trying to make peace with.

Suzanne waltzed over to her seat on the sofa, turned her head toward her big sister, and blurted out, "So, Julia, how long have you and Anthony had feelings for each other?"

Julia's head snapped up, her eyes wide as dinner plates. "Excuse me, Suzanne?" she hissed.

Suzanne smirked at her and popped her eyebrow upward. "Don't even bother playing dumb with me, Julia. You forget that a few members of Beaumont do frequent that crumbling establishment because the owner's grandfather was a member of the club, out of respect or whatever," she said, waving a hand, "and those same members were quick to tell me this morning what a good time you two looked to be having last night."

Julia's face was pale, except for the flush that had risen to her cheeks. Before she could even formulate a reply, Suzanne whirled her bouffant head toward Charlene.

"How long were you gonna pretend you didn't see them there last night, Mrs. Stillfield?" she asked rather haughtily.

Julia turned her head toward Charlene, the shock on her face only growing.

"No, Julia, I swear we didn't see--I mean, maybe we glanced over, but it wasn't..." she trailed off hopelessly, looking desperately at Mary Jo for help. Mary Jo sat frozen at her desk, not even able to swallow when she heard the door to the storeroom open, and her heart sank in dread as Anthony walked up to the counter behind her.

He looked around quizzically, trying to figure out what he had walked into now, when Suzanne spoke up.

"So, Anthony, I guess when you told me you were too busy to wax my legs what you meant was, you were too busy trying to date my sister, to wax my legs, amiright?"

Anthony's face dropped in dread as he looked over at Julia, who was still staring silently at Suzanne. Suzanne waved a hand at Anthony. "Don't worry, I'm not jealous. I know everybody here thinks you're my best girlfriend, but in reality what you were up to is much more interesting to me" she smirked.

Suzanne turned around to face Julia, surprised her sister hadn't said anything. "Oh come on, Julia, it's okay, we have no secrets here. Why the big pretense?"

Charlene and Mary Jo slowly turned their eyes toward Julia, who got up from her desk slowly, anger pulling at the features on her face. She walked over to the coat rack with her purse in hand, and slung her coat over her shoulders.

She finally turned to face Suzanne, and Suzanne was surprised to see tears brimming Julia's eyes. "You know, Suzanne, for the first time in my life, I have nothing to say to you."

And with that, she wheeled on her heels out the front door.

Behind her, Mary Jo heard Anthony drop his coffee cup loudly on the counter, and she turned just enough to see him stalk out the backdoor.

Suzanne sat in shocked silence for a few moments, before the realization hit her like brinks. "They hadn't told each other" she said aloud but to no one in particular.

Mary Jo pressed her lips together sadly. "No, this was news to all of us" she said solemnly.


	4. Chapter 4

Julia lay awake in silence, staring vacantly at the ceiling above her. Suzanne had finally stopped trying to call her. After ringing her house phone about 50 times that evening, she'd finally given up.

Julia had returned after everyone was gone and Sugarbaker's was closed up, desperate not to see anyone. She'd trudged through the door listlessly, tossing her coat on the rack, bolting the door again, and going through her usual routine without any real sense of herself. And now, at 11:12 pm, she was still awake, the same blank stare she'd given the ceiling for the past 40 minutes still locked on her face.

What was she supposed to do now? Get up tomorrow, waltz downstairs, and pretend none of it had ever happened? She knew, realistically, that that was impossible, yet she couldn't figure out a better way to deal with the situation. Years and years of life experience and life lessons, and none of it amounted to anything right now. So she laid awake, and stared.

Across town, in his small but comfortable apartment, Anthony did the same thing, counting the shadows on the wall, stars in the sky, even the lines in his bedspread. Three shadows, 157 stars visable from his window, and 88 lines of color atop his dark bedspread.

He wasn't sure what it amounted to, but it was the only thing he was certain of right now.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day began as a blur. The phone rang even before Sugarbaker's was officially open, and Julia, Anthony, and everyone else spent the day running helplessly to and fro, trying to keep up with appointments, new invoices, return customers, new customers; the day was finally drawing to a close, the sun having set outside already. Julia was alone, and as she walked from the storeroom toward the sofa she felt a surge of relief that today had offered her the opportunity to interact with Anthony as little as possible. She sat down for what she knew were a few precious moments of silence when the door suddenly swung open.

They stared at one another in silence for a few moments before Julia mumbled, "Hi, Anthony", looking around desperately for something to do to avoid making it seem like she was trying to avoid conversation. She was, but no sense in looking rude.

Anthony closed the door firmly behind him, and strode confidently across the wood floor and sat down in front of her. "Julia, we gotta talk" he said simply.

His tone was so matter of fact and straight forward that for a moment she was lost for how to respond. She finally set down the magazine in her hand--the only distraction within arms reach--and pulled at her skirt.

"Yes, yes I guess we do" she said quietly, not looking up at him.

He surprised her again by reaching gently toward her and taking one of her hands in his, caressing her skin gently with both of his thumbs. He looked up at her carefully, and paused before drawing in a slow breath.

"Julia, I'm gonna say this now, and whatever kind of reaction you have is fine with me. But I have to get something off my chest and you gotta promise that you're not gonna interrupt me."

She looked shyly at him through her lashes, and nodded slowly, enjoying the feeling of his hand around hers.

Anthony nodded slowly. "I like you Julia. I like you a lot, more than an employee should like his boss, and more than I like my friends." He paused, studying her face for a moment before resuming. "What I'm saying is whatever you're feeling, I need you to be honest with me, because we can't keep just walking on egg shells around each other looking for reasons not to talk. And if you don't like me, I'll let go of your hand right now, get up from this couch, and not say another word about it. But we can't keep walking around here looking foolish."

She smiled at him, and looked down again at his hands, which were still clasped around her own.

"You know, Anthony, I don't know why I'm having such a hard time having this conversation with you." She paused, trying to find the right words to say. "I always thought of myself as strong, self-assured, able to take on the world..." she trailed off, looking up at him briefly, then back down again. "The truth is, I'm not, well...I'm not only those things. And one of the other things I am is...unsure of how it is I'm supposed to be able to tell someone I like them."

She looked up at Anthony as she said those last words, and his breath caught for a moment in relief. He had envisioned--he wasn't sure why--a scene in which he dropped to his knees and declared his love and Julia rebuffed him in the indifferent way she rebuffed anyone she didn't care for. But instead, here he sat on the sofa, her hand in his, watching as The Terminator looked shyly at the carpet as she told him she felt the same way about him that he did about her.

He was about to say something else when the door to Sugarbaker's swung open, and Charlene, Mary Jo, and Suzanne walked in. Upon realizing that they'd interrupted something, they froze. They too, luckily, had essentially seen none of Julia and Anthony all day.

Suzanne stepped forward apprehensively. "Julia, Anthony, I just want to say--"

Anthony cut her off as he rose to his feet, with Julia following suit. "I think I speak for both of us," he said, nodding to Julia to make sure they were in accord, "when I say don't worry about it. Forget it, everybody act like yesterday never happened, and please treat us like regular people again, and not carriers of the bubonic plague."

The three women nodded their heads swiftly in agreement, relieved that this was one conversation they wouldn't be forced to have. Mary Jo looked at both of them bashfully and said, "Can we ask what happens now?"

Julia and Anthony looked at one another slowly, and Julia stepped forward slightly, standing beside Anthony, one of her arms brushing against his as she did so.

"We're still figuring that out" she said, looking cautiously at him as she spoke. "And we'd like it if you all can give us the time we need to figure things out for ourselves, no spying, no prying, no blurting things out in the middle of a crowded room" she said, shooting Suzanne a stern look as she finished her sentence. Her little sister may be an adult, but she was an adult who still bowed her head in embarrassment when faced with her sister's stern glare.

The three of them all nodded simultaneously, and quickly bid Anthony and Julia goodnight as they disappeared outside, eager to go home.

Anthony and Julia watched the door shut, and Anthony turned around to face Julia. "I guess I oughta go too, it's pretty late" he said quietly.

She nodded in agreement, feeling sleepiness take hold of her already as she grabbed his arm and walked with him toward the door.

He slid his coat on and buttoned it, before turning again to face her.

"Goodnight, Julia."

"Goodnight, Anthony."

They smiled at each other shyly before Anthony let out a small, nervous breath and stepped toward her.

He slid his hands tenderly along her cheeks, his thumbs resting beneath her chin and turning her face upward. She reached for him instinctively, grabbing the soft fabric of his coat nervously as he slowly bent his head toward hers and kissed her.

Julia was surprised. Not only was this the best first kiss she'd ever shared with anyone, but she somehow found herself pleased by the surge of confidence that accompanied the moment, and she deepened the kiss cautiously, careful not to take things too far, as she knew she could sometimes do.

Anthony happily obliged, and they stood like that for a few moments, kissing one another like two adults hadn't seriously kissed anyone in a long time. Maybe that was true.

They finally broke apart, and Anthony slid his hands along her waist, playfully rubbing the fabric of her blouse. They hesitated before pulling apart, sharing one more brief kiss before Anthony stepped into the dark night and slid into his car, slowly driving home.

Julia shut the door behind her, biting her lip gently from the inside, as she hazily made her way upstairs, smiling to herself the entire time. Anthony did the same, moving slowly through his own routine, but not really thinking of anything else besides the kiss he'd shared with her earlier that night.

Sleep came easily to them, this time.


	6. Chapter 6

Mary Jo, Suzanne, and Charlene were grateful. As they tried their best to inconspicuously watch Anthony and Julia, they pretended to be wrapped up in their own conversation behind the counter as Julia stood beside Anthony as he was preparing to visit a client's house. A few days had since past, and all of the awkwardness between them had, thankfully, dissipated.

They pretended not to notice, but exchanged warm glances with one another as Julia and Anthony kissed one another at the door, unaware anyone was watching.

Mary Jo was particularly delighted for Julia. She felt a surge of happiness when she'd come back from a client's house the other day, and opened the door to see Julia and Anthony standing at her desk, his arms wrapped around her as she nuzzled his neck. The fear she had over the potential dissolution of their relationship had dissipated slowly as she watched them.

Now that she saw them together, the whole thing made sense.


End file.
